A less government conservative Republican from Livingston County, MI
Opinions on this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Livingston County Republican Party.
Chairman of LCRP since January 2013

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Not happy with the federal budget

That's not a surprise, because I'm never happy with the budget. I understand not to make the perfect the enemy of the good. However, the Ryan budget isn't conservative enough. Balanced budgets should be expected and the bare minimum when there's 15 trillion dollar national debts to seat with.

The House on Thursday afternoon voted down a budget alternative offered by the Republican Study Committee (RSC), paving the way for House passage of a plan offered by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.).

Members rejected the RSC proposal in a 136-285 vote in which 136 Republicans supported it and 104 Republicans opposed it. That's more support than the RSC budget received last year, when 119 Republicans favored it and 120 opposed it.

There's more.

The RSC plan proposes $7.5 trillion in spending cuts over the next decade, about 50 percent more than Ryan's budget. It also calls for cuts and a freeze to discretionary spending until the budget balances.

The problem is that baseline budgets start at last year's spending. That's a big reason why spending keeps going up and it's perpetual in length. It's unacceptable. What's needed is a zero based budgeting plan, along with the look at every single expenditure and department to decide the following.

1. Is it constitutional?
2. Is it needed?
3. Can states and local governments do the same work?
4. Does it work?

We don't need a federal department of education. The feds are not competent enough, or trustworthy enough to be involved in education. We elect school boards for a reason. We have a state board of education.

We do not need the BATF. We do not need a lot of federal crimes that are taken care of on the state level. It's none of Washington's business if states legalize medical marijuana.

Most transportation can be passed off to the states, and eliminate the hostage taking of state policy for highway funds while you are at it.

Go with zero based budgeting. Eliminate what isn't needed. Balance the budget. Don't raise taxes. That's not asking for much.